Fosters, Nerds and Dummies
by obsessedatopia
Summary: Shorts and one-shots set in Nerd/Black Widow Universe where Brandon has biological twin sister, Kasey (essentially a mini-Stef). Basically a fic to fulfill the one-shot requests I've had that include Kasey and Evan. Best to have read Nerd or Black Widow for characters to make sense. Latest: Kasey pushes the rules a little too far. Previous: Stef wrangles a sick, 9-year-old Kasey.
1. Halloween (Part 1)

**OK - As promised in today's Black Widow - here is the Evan/Kasey Halloween story. This looks like it may end up a 2 or 3 parter as I just didn't have enough time to finish it today. Still - I figured if I get the first chapter out on Halloween it still counts, right? Hope this is all OK with folks. Pretty much nothing happens as it's just a chapter of fluff but heck - it's Halloween so we're all too hyped up on sugar to care! Gonna be posting all of the Evan/Kasey AU one shots in this thread so if you're interested in that hop on a follow! Hope you enjoy...**

"Wow Mom! You look good!" Kasey beamed coming into the kitchen seeing Stef still in her uniform. "Are you going as a stripogram?" she asked as Stef batted her hand away from grabbing one of the candy in the trick or treat bowl.

"Nice, smartass. I've not had time to change yet. And do you care to explain your costume, young lady?"

"I'm going as a cavewoman. Evan is a caveman."

"And I'm assuming this cavewoman's tribe didn't last long seeing as they seem to forget to put on actual clothes."

Kasey shrugged. "Evan will provide my heat." she gave a taunting smile as Stef laughed. "Evan will wait in here while you go and put some clothes on. There's not a chance you're going out like that."

"Ooh - speak of the devil." Kasey walked over to the door to let in a knocking Evan.

She squinted as she opened it. "Evan, why do you have a model reindeer under your arm?" she asked confused.

"It's our dinner." he shrugged. "I'm more a hunter than a gatherer. Plus I like to try and make the most out of Christmas decorations. I hate that they only get used once a year." Kasey laughed and pulled him into a kiss.

"You look hot." he smiled, as Stef made her way over and pulled Kasey off him.

"OK, OK - enjoy it while you can because she's going to get dressed. Now. You can borrow a longer skirt from Mariana, I'm sure she has one that will match."

"You want me to ask Mariana...for a _longer_ skirt?"

"Just get something on before Lena sees you and freaks. We don't even get trick or treaters any more after last year when she kept handing out extra clothing to any Anchor Beach kids who came showing too much skin. Go. Now."

Evan bit his lip watching her as she walked away before Stef slapped him on the chest to divert his attention.

"Are you eying my daughter young man?"

He immediately began to stutter before looking back at a disappearing Kasey. Stef pulled his chin back to look at her.

"Evan, before we go - I want to remind this is a high school party and you're there partially chaperoning so no funny business."

He looked at her confused. "What kind of funny business are you expecting?"

"I'm not going to give you any ideas - just don't do anything I will make you regret, got it?"

"Yes Ma'am." he nodded.

"One more thing though caveman - I thought you were supposed to come in costume." she teased slapping him lightly on the cheek.

He raised his eyebrows.

"Says the cop in the cop costume."

Stef turned with a scoff. "For heaven's sake, I've not had time to change yet. I'd stay in it but I'm not allowed to drink in uniform and I wanna be able to have some fun if anyone spikes the punch." she joked while walking out before turning back to him "Don't get any ideas!" she scolded before walking off.

"Better." she commented as Kasey gave a curtsey, returning with slightly more clothes.

"Hey! You still look hot." Evan smiled. "How'd you get so much more costume so fast?"

Kasey smiled. "Oh I always had it - I just wanted to wind up Mom so wore the shorter version. I'll whip it out again later once we sneak off to out party!" she grinned kissing him again.

"_Shh!_ Your Mom said no funny business. We'll get caught if she hears you."

Kasey rolled her eyes. "We'll be gone for like a couple hours at most. They won't even notice. I'm not missing a college Halloween party! Even if we get caught, it'll be worth it." she kissed him again as he pulled her into an embrace, lifting her off the floor slightly.

He got lost in her kiss as the room spun away. His primal instincts really were taking over. He opened his eyes briefly to admire the beauty before him but let out a yell as a shadowy figure appeared behind her.

"Holy crap!" he screeched jumping back as Kasey rolled her eyes.

A hooded figure with a sickle towered behind her.

"Mom - that's just lazy." Kasey accused as she pulled her hood back.

"Well sue me, I knew I'd only have about a half hour to get ready. Besides, I really wanted to scare the crap out of Evan." she teased poking him with her sickle.

"By the way Mama has got you a fur coat to wear. I informed her of your costume choice."

Kasey furrowed her brow. "I'm not wearing a fur coat inside a school hall..."

"You will be if you want Lena to let you out the house."

"Fine - I'll stay here." she beamed snuggling up to Evan.

"OK, but Evan and Rudolph are coming with us." Stef responded as she nudged her.

"We good to go?" Lena shouted down, promised coat in hand.

A Frankenstein Jesus bobbed behind along with a witch Callie, a cat suited Mariana and a mummified Jude.

"How many rolls of toilet paper did that take?" Evan asked impressed.

"Tons!" Jude exclaimed. "But Jesus had tons ready for when we went..." his voice muffled as Jesus clasped a hand over his mouth. He threw an accusing Stef a guilty smile. Jude and Jesus had been trick or treating earlier that night. Jude had his bag of candy tight in his hand to take with him to the party.

"If they're on his costume I clearly didn't use them for anything else..." Jesus responded to their unvoiced scolding.

Lena shook her head.

"OK. Brandon?"

"Coming!" he yelled, bounding down the stairs.

"Who are you meant to be?" Kasey asked cynically at a very normal looking Brandon.

He pointed to a name badge.

"_'God'_? That's the laziest damn costume I've ever seen." Mariana responded.

"God made us in an image of himself, Mariana." Brandon quoted wisely.

"When did you start reading the Bible?" Jesus joked slapping him on the back.

"Since as I needed an excuse for having forgotten to get a costume." he replied with a grin.

"I would have just put on one of your old man cardigans and gone as Mister Rogers." Kasey teased as Brandon pulled a face at her.

"OK, Almighty. Let's get going." Stef began to shepherd them out.

They filtered out one by one before Stef stopped Jesus short of the door.

"Spread 'em." she ordered as he huffed.

He leaned against the wall as she rescued 2 cans of silly string from his trouser cuffs.

"I was going to help with the decorations..." he pleaded unconvincingly as she slapped him harshly on the back towards the door.

**Next chapter: **** Lena and Stef have their hands full chaperoning the** Anchor Beach party and Evan and Kasey make other plans.


	2. Halloween (Part 2)

**OK folks - here is chapter 2. This story is actually getting longer as I've decided on roles for the other kids too. Maybe 4 chapters in total. Hope this is OK by everyone - I know it was meant to be a short! Just having too much fun with it. Thanks for the follows and reviews - I'll be putting lots of multi-chapter minis in this thread so any requests let me know. Obviously they are all in the Kasey/Evan universe but it doesn't have to be central around them (though if I can do the same idea without them at all I'd just put it in Fostering Fun).**

**Also happy to do scene adaptations from the show but with Kasey in them if anyone is interested in that - I've had requests for that before and if I can, I will!**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy some more Halloween fluff (I'll not pretend this story will be much more than that so don't expect any drama!)...oh and if anyone's interested - this is set pre-Black Widow (as you may gather from a cameo reference)**

* * *

"This is awesome!" Jude ran through into the school hall, still clutching his candy.

"Buddy, remember you brought that to share with your friends - don't have more than a couple of pieces..." Lena shouted after him to deaf ears.

"It's Halloween, Lena. Lost cause there, love." Stef teased as Lena threw her a look.

"Well if he's up all night puking then you're taking care of him." she ordered as Stef rolled her eyes.

"Well - see you guys later!" Jesus smiled bounding off as he spied his friend Jordan.

"Wait Jesus - you better stay out of..._trouble_." Stef called after him before giving up.

"It's Halloween Stef." Lena mimicked as Stef pulled a face back at her. "Well if he ends up arrested you're driving out to the station to get him." she lifted an eyebrow.

"So are you going to be like...watching us the whole night or?" Mariana asked arms folded.

"Why?" Stef queried. "Should we be?" she raised her eyebrow as Mariana shrugged.

"Of course they will be." Brandon teased.

"Look guys I know you hate it when we're chaperoning but we'll do our best to keep out of your way." Lena answered adjusting her Cleopatra outfit slightly.

"As long as you all behave!" Stef added, giving Kasey a puncturing look.

Kasey laughed in response. "Don't worry Mom, you'll barely notice I'm here." she smiled pulling Stef's hood over her eyes. "Come on Evan!" she dragged him off as he stuttered his goodbyes and apologised to a small boy that he managed to clip with his reindeer.

"Wanna get some punch?" Brandon asked Callie as Mariana also departed running off to join a newly arrived Kelsey.

Callie shrugged. "I'm good I think. I'll just hang here by the music." She widened her eyes and forced a smile. Brandon had been driving her crazy recently. She had recently broken up with Wyatt after he had changed schools and Brandon had nominated himself as a personal confidante. As flattered as Callie was, he had begun to get on her nerves with his pep talks and psychology. Not to mention she always found Brandon analysing her relationship with Wyatt a little weird after their history. Ignoring the signs he gave her a small wink. "I'll just bring you some here then." She forced another smile as Kasey slid next to her.

"You look thrilled to be here!" She joked.

"I would rather be anywhere else. I really just want some time to myself. Evan?"

"He's cleaning up some kids' punch that Rudolph knocked over." Both girls chuckled. "So why did you come?" Kasey asked sipping at a small glass of her own. "Want a bit by the way, it's a rogue one someone brought with the vodka already added." She laughed further.

Callie took a sip taking it off her. "Careful you don't have too much - your Moms are chaperoning remember. And I am here because I would rather not draw too much attention to not wanting to be - you know what your Moms are like, they'd be determined to find out why I didn't want to come and Brandon - well he's being annoying enough as it is. He's been my shadow recently!"

"Yeah, he can be a pain like that. He just wants to help."

"I know - and I'm grateful - but really, I'm fine. I just want some time to myself away from being forced to think about Wyatt by other people." She sighed.

"Well..." A grin grew across Kasey's face.

"Uh-oh..." Callie responded, knowing that look.

"I can get Brandon off your back and you can go hang out in the music room or whatever till the party is over..."

"And the catch?" Callie raised an eyebrow.

"You drop back to Moms every little while and cover for me while Evan and I go to another party...like an hour or two max." Kasey clasped her hands together to plead.

"You don't think your Moms are going to notice the lack of Christmas decorations spilling drinks everywhere?"

Kasey shrugged. "There are 200 kids here with already spiked punch. That will be uncovered in a half hour maximum and Jesus is out egging the surrounding neighbourhood. I think the lack of clumsy reindeer will be the least of their worries."

Callie took a deep breath. "Fine - but I'm not taking any responsibility if you get caught."

Kasey pulled her head forward and kissed her roughly on the cheek. "You're the best!"

"I just need to find the right...ugh!" Kasey looked across at her classmates.

"Michelle Porter's over there. God I hate her. Remind me to get Rudolph to knock some punch over her by mistake." She scowled as she continued to skim. "Aha! Found the perfect distraction. And just in time!" she added as Brandon emerged with two glasses.

"Do you want the one the teachers keep sampling or the one being distributed by Garner in the back classroom? I brought one of each just in case."

Callie smiled. "I'll take the normal."

"Hey B." Kasey said with a deliberate smirk. He squinted. "What is it?"

"Nothin'" Kasey shrugged looking very deliberately at a group of girls in the corner and looking back at Brandon.

He turned to follow her gaze and looked back at her confused.

"You miss anything off your badge that you didn't tell us about?" She teased. He furrowed his brow, confused.

"I totally overheard the girls over there talking about what you may be God of..." Callie put her head in her palm realising Kasey's tactic.

Brandon swung his head round even more violently as one of the girls smiled at him, noticing that he had been looking across at them.

"Are you screwing with me?" He asked taking a sip and looking over to them again.

"Just saying - Stacey Finnegan was admiring your costume and I couldn't help but overhear her subsequent comments. You would so be in there if you had the guts. Still, we both know that you don't." She added as Callie gave her a knowing stare.

"What's that supposed to mean?! Brandon huffed, offended.

"That you couldn't hook up with one of them at this party even if you wanted to. You're way too timid."

"I am not!" He protested. "I've had tons of girlfriends!"

"Well then...prove me wrong. Consider it a challenge. Win her and keep her for the whole evening. You may thank me tomorrow anyway!"

"That's sleazy!"

"Not if you like her - it's just speeding up the process." Kasey stood up and folded her arms looking Brandon in the eye. He looked back and forth to Stacey who was still smiling at him.

"Told you he was too scared..." She looked round to Callie.

"Fine! But wait, Callie - are you sure you don't mind me..."

"Go for it - I'm quite happy with Kasey." She smiled, raising an eyebrow in her sister's direction.

"If I pull this off you can't tease me for 2 months." He demanded.

"Uhm you get a girl at the end of it - my being proven wrong can be reward enough for you."

Brandon squinted but then nodded and swept himself off in Stacey's direction.

Callie stood with her arms folded glaring at Kasey.

"What? Stacey has had a thing for him since middle school. I've just been keeping it in my back pocket for when I needed it." She beamed. Callie rolled her eyes.

"If your parents ask - we all are in the music room and I'm the one who keeps going to get the refreshments to get a break from you both. If they come up to check you've gone for a walk but if I text you you come back - got it?"

"You're the best!" Kasey pulled Callie into a hug as Evan arrived.

"Did you guys know there's alcohol at this party? I should go tell your Mom..." He commented, adorably horrified.

Kasey squeezed his cheeks. "You're so cute when you're scared of Mom! Come on though you've only been out of high school a couple of years and you drink like a fish - you can't be that surprised! It's not the main one - none of the young kids are drinking it."

He shrugged. "Anyway, come on Santa."

"I'm a caveman!" He whined.

"I'm sure Santa looked like that when he brought the presents to the cave-babies." She responded dragging him off.

"OK - I know we don't do church but we need to have a talk about the basics..."

"Haven't you heard? I'm practically twins with God..."

Callie laughed as their conversation faded into the music.

She gulped down the rest of her punch and smiled at finally having some time to herself.

* * *

"So what're the rules for this then? Are we allowed to dance or is that _'totes a major fail'_?" Stef asked looking across to Lena who gave her a toothy smile as they walked down an empty corridor.

"Please don't try to be hip Stef."

"Oh I don't need to try." She joked smugly. "Just like you really don't need to try to look hot in that outfit." Lena raised an eyebrow.

"Well I am the Queen of Egypt you know - I'm glad you are worshipping me as I deserve." Stef pulled her towards her, her hands around her waist.

"And now I'm wishing I'd dressed as a snake so I could have a piece of you..." Stef stifled Lena's reaction to her bad pun with a kiss. Lena was hypnotised for a moment before freeing her lips to talk.

"We have a dance to chaperone." She pushed Stef's deflating chest away. "You can have a piece of me later and see how hot I look without the costume."

"Ho -hoo! Now that's an offer I can't refuse. Can we not just pull the fire alarm to wrap..."

"Later, Stefanie." Lena ordered striding ahead as Stef slinked behind. "Let's get those spare cups - Pamela said she thought she'd brought in 2 packs but now can only find one."

Lena whipped open the closet in the hall and screeched as two terrified looking teens broke a lip lock and jumped back.

"What do you two think you're doing?" She demanded from the two embarrassed sophomores.

"I can show you what they were about to do if you want..." Stef whispered in her ear as Lena kicked her, the two traumatised children not noticing as they desperately tried to make up an excuse.

"Both of you, back in the main hall. If I catch you again I'll be calling your parents! Scoot." The two teens ran off.

"Kissing while in the closet. That takes me back to a time before I met you..." Stef quipped as Lena gave her a stern glare for as long as she could before the humour broke her.

"Will you ever grow up?" She scolded through a laugh. "If you don't start behaving I'm gonna have to call _your_ parents!"

"Sorry babe, it's Halloween and it's always made me a little frisky. Something about you being in a costume!"

"Well we're at a school party so can we please keep things age appropriate - no more traumatising quips in front of the children. You do a good enough job of scarring our own."

Stef let out a laugh. "Which do you think we'll have to deal with first tonight?" she diverted grabbing another packet of cups from the now vacant closet.

"Hopefully none. I've got my hands full enough with you already - don't!" Lena chastised in anticipation grabbing the other packet and closing the door behind them. They made the short walk back to the main hall before Stef's face dropped.

"Uh-oh. If bets are still on I'm calling Jesus." She heaved a deep sigh as Lena looked to her confused.

"Why do you say that?" She asked cautiously.

"Because someone's just dragged Frankenstein's monster by his ear and he looks more like a mad houseowner than a mad scientist."

_**Next chapter: Stef and Lena have more to deal with, Mariana lets her hair down and Callie meets a mysterious new kid who helps her see the fun in Halloween.**_


	3. Halloween (Part 3)

**OK Guys - here is a part 3! This isn't a fast moving or dramatic story - it's almost pure fluff as a nice break from chasing criminals in Black Widow... **

**I'm just trying to capture a little of each kid in their own level of mischief and the Moms trying to wrangle them! I would guess I'll have one more chapter but as I've not written it yet I can't rule out two! (you know what I'm like...). Thanks for the reviews as always - some Jude and Jesus in this one as was requested.**

* * *

"I totally hooked up with one of the guys in the band too. It was a pretty awesome concert." Kelsey boasted taking a sip of her glass.

"You did one of the guys in the band?" Mariana asked through a laugh. "Which one?"

"Well - i sorta did. And he said his name was Roadie. I dunno, he was carrying a guitar."

Mariana exchanged a confused look with a third friend.

"Kelsey - the roadie isn't in the band - he's the dude who hauls their crap around."

Kelsey crinkled her eyebrows. "Oh well...I got backstage and stuff anyway..."

"And you met the band there?" The third girl asked excitedly.

"They were on stage - _duh_!"

Mariana rolled her eyes. "So you missed the concert because you were screwing their roadie?"

Kelsey shrugged. "Whatever - if you're jealous and stuff."

"I'm not jealous! Just if you're gonna pretend to be rad you should at least get your story straight first." Mariana replied defensively as the other girls laughed.

"Right...well I bet it's still more fun than you had last weekend."

"Hey girls -" one of their classmates interrupted. "We've got some games going on out the back. Fancy joining? Got a bottle from Garner's supply."

"Drinking at school? Dangerous! I'm in...but I doubt Mariana is with her Moms chaperoning."

"I...well..." Mariana stuttered. She didn't want to be thought of as any less fun than the others. She spotted Kasey and Evan out the corner of her eye.

"Just give me a sec..." she jumped up and ran over to her sister dragging her into the corner away from Evan.

"What? What is it?" Kasey asked slightly exasperated as Mariana batted a confused looking Evan away.

"I need a favour..."

Kasey raised an eyebrow. Favours for Mariana could be dodgy.

"I'm gonna go home a little before the end of the party so I'm back before Moms. Can you cover for me at the end of the night?"

"I...uhm..." Kasey stuttered. "I'm not sure that's the best idea..."

"Why? Are you getting off early too?" she noticed Evan urging Kasey on with his head pointing towards the clock with it.

"Are you guys sneaking off?" Mariana asked with a beaming grin.

"Well...I mean...just for a tiny bit...we're coming back before the end..."

Mariana folded her arms. "So there's no reason you can't cover for me then?"

Kasey sighed. "I guess not. But why?"

"Look some if the others are gonna have a few drinks and I don't really want a car ride home with Moms after."

Kasey sighed again. "You have to not do anything stupid! I'm not covering if you get caught."

Mariana bobbed up and down clapping. "You're the best!" she pulled her into a hug as Kasey reluctantly tensed up.

"Again - _don't_ do anything stupid - and don't drink too much. Really!" Kasey warned.

"I won't!" she bound off back towards her friends as Kasey re-joined Evan to leave.

"I'm in..." she chimed with a smile as the boy pulled her into a side hug.

"Cool." Kelsey responded dazed. "But your Moms not gonna be snooping around for you?"

Mariana shrugged. "They said they were gonna keep out of our way during the party - my sister is covering for the end."

"Then let's get this party going!" the boy clapped his hands. "We're gonna play _"Never Have I Ever"._"

"Oh I rock at that game!" Kelsey added excitedly as Mariana rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Going trick or treating with Jesus is awesome!" Jude beamed as he and Connor continued to make their way through their stash. They had already eaten about a third but were determined not to be outdone by the other. "He has all these tricks to get more candy from the people. You have to avoid some houses though because he's got in trouble with them before. We got chased out of like 3 yards. It was way cool!"

Connor laughed. "I wish I could have come with you guys but my dad is really funny about it - it's like _'our thing'_ even though I'm like 14 now. I think next year I'm gonna ask to go without him...we could go together! That'd be cool!"

Jude nodded enthusiastically. "We'll get so much with 3 of us! That is if Moms let Jesus out next year. He sorta looks like he's in trouble..." Jude looked over to see Stef and Lena looking sternly at Jesus who was grasped firmly in the hand of an angry looking man.

"Hey do you know what happens when you put this kind of candy in your drink?" Connor asked excitedly dropping in the small white ball. It fizzed and spun as Connor grabbed a straw and stirred it. Bubbles protruded and formed a tornado shape up from the dissolving blob.

"That is so awesome!" Jude exclaimed as both boys had their chins on the table watching it from glass height.

"Hey what about this one?" Jude dropped one in of his own but nothing seemed to happen. He dropped in a few more but his mouth dropped as he was disappointed with the result.

"Hey - it may taste weird though..." Connor suggested as Jude shrugged and gave it a sip.

He screwed his face up with a smile and shivered. "That tastes crazy!" He laughed as he dropped more in and stirred them slightly, trying it again.

"Hey if it's changed the taste of the drink - imagine what the candy must be like!" Connor added as a gleam flickered over his eyes. Jude immediately tipped the glass high enough to suck up a mouthful of the small gummy mess.

"That's amazing!" he garbled through a full mouth as Connor quickly followed suit.

* * *

"You threw eggs at a moving car?" Stef roared over the music at a cowering Jesus.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?" Lena added as the man squeezed Jesus' arm slightly tighter.

"I didn't mean to...I was trying to throw it across the road and the car came out of nowhere..."

Stef flicked his head with her middle finger. "That's because it was a road - genius!"

"We are so sorry about this sir, he will clean it up right away..."

"Oh he's already cleaned it up. He may wanna get a start on all the houses in my neighbourhood though..." The man chimed in.

"Please tell me he's joking!" Stef folded her arms and stared at Jesus sternly.

"It was a dare..." He replied sheepishly.

"Get over here!" Stef ordered pulling him away from the man's grasp and tugging him behind her.

"We really are so sorry - I can assure you he will be punished." Lena responded calmly to the man.

"If there is any damage to my car I will be personally hunting him down through this school!" The man threatened.

"Absolutely, I'm the Vice Principal here just give me a call - " Lena began to guide him through the hall towards the exit as Stef swung around to Jesus.

"Exactly how many houses have your terrorised tonight?" She demanded as Jesus shrugged.

"I dunno - a few..."

"A number Jesus."

"Maybe 6 or 7. We were going for the full lot but Jordan started to tease me and so I threw one across at him when the car came by..." Stef's eyes widened and she rubbed her forehead as Lena returned.

"I hope you realised that that gentleman now thinks this is associated with the school?" She pointed towards the direction he just left in.

"Well you're the one who said you were the Vice Principal - not me..." He replied cowering slightly. Stef motioned a strangling technique.

"Tomorrow morning you are coming here at 7am to clean up every house you egged."

"Seven?" He protested. "Can't I just do it after school?"

"No - they may well have cleaned up themselves by then."

"Well they probably will have done tonight..." he added. "Can't I just do it now?"

"Nuh-uh - you're not leaving our sight..." Lena responded with her arms folded. "And you're gonna write apology letters to each of them to post in their mailboxes."

Stef looked around the room, wincing as the noise escalated. There was a screech and a crash followed by some laughter as another chaperone pushed themselves from their post to go and deal with it.

"You know come to think of it Lena...I could just supervise him now..." Stef suggested hopefully.

"You're not leaving my sight either...you're not getting out of this so stop trying! We're short staffed as it is tonight with the Morrisons bailing last minute. Pamela is pretty useless too." She whispered back sternly with a raised eyebrow as Stef's pose echoed that of Jesus.

"Fine. Where's Jordan anyway? Next time I see him I am confiscating that damn camera!" She took her disappointment out on her son.

"I dunno, he ran off when the guy stopped the car. I had the eggs and stuff so couldn't get away as fast."

"How much stuff did you have exactly? And how did you sneak it here?" Lena challenged scrutinising him further.

He shrugged putting his hands in his pockets. "A few boxes...I found them at school..." his eyes darted to a different spot in the room as Stef pulled his chin up to redirect his eyeline to hers.

"You mean you stored them at school to collect tonight?" He flashed a guilty smile in affirmation as both of his Moms shook their heads.

"Right. You...park yourself here." Stef dragged a stool out from the side next to their stationed position.

Jesus' eyes widened. "I thought you just had to be able to see me - I have to sit with you?!" He exclaimed, horrified.

"You got it." Lena replied firmly.

"But...but...it'll look like I'm in a time out! I'm at school - everyone'll see me..."

"Suck it up Frankenstein." Stef replied folding her arms.

Jesus huffed and slumped over to the chair. He wondered if his siblings were having more fun.

* * *

Callie sat quietly in the music room practicing her latest picking pattern. Her face was highly strung in concentration as she cursed herself for getting it wrong a third time. She could faintly hear the music from the school hall but it didn't stop her from enjoying her serenity.

"So - is this how Anchor Beach kids rock out?" A voice caused her to jump and cease her play, twanging the strings in a cringing chord.

"Woah - sorry, didn't mean to scare you..." the voice responded, edging his way into the room. He had a Phantom of the Opera costume on so half of his face was obscured.

"Why'd you come sneaking up on me then?" She replied accusingly pulling the guitar close to her body.

"Sorry - my bad. I just got a little lost. I'm visiting my cousin and she dragged me to this party so her parents would let her come. Ditched me as soon as we arrived."

Callie studied him. She hadn't seen him before.

"Who's your cousin?" She asked suspiciously.

"Emma Grant - she's a junior."

Callie nodded, recognising the name from the drama group.

"You sounded pretty good before I interrupted you. Assuming you're not back here because you need the practice?" He parked himself down at the table next to her. He sounded kind of quirky but also quite daring. There was a sense of confidence in his voice.

"I just needed some space. My Moms are chaperoning - I've got like a bazillion siblings and I just came out of a relationship. Just needed some time without everyone asking me if I'm enjoying myself or if I'm OK! the relationship was getting quite serious and he was moving again anyway so we called it off. Just wasn't what I was into, you know? Becoming too routine." Callie laughed before pulling back and realising she was divulging this quite freely to a complete stranger. "Sorry - I mean, not that you care about the details." She said through another nervous laugh.

"It's OK - I did ask. I know what you mean though. Sometimes relationships lose the spontaneity. You realise you're just going through the motions!" He smiled wisely. Callie began to feel slightly awkward and moved to get up.

"Anyway, I better get back - I have to lie to my Moms for my sister who's snuck off to a party. She's always getting herself into stupid situations like that but she's cool - I don't mind." She stopped herself again realising once more how easy these words were flowing.

"Sounds like you're going through the motions there too..." he teased sticking his tongue out slightly. He had a wonderfully toothy smile with glistening white teeth. Callie folded her arms and gave him her own back.

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

The boy shrugged. "Simply that you seem to be doing a lot of things by the book for someone who comes to a party only to hermit themselves in a music room.

"Meaning...?"

"I'm wondering my chances of persuading you to reconnect with your slightly more spontaneous side...which I think is pretty keen to come out."

Callie's smile grew wider even though her tone was skeptical.

"And how would you suppose I do that?"

"Well..." the boy got to his feet. "How about a tour of your school?" he suggested producing his arm from under his cape for her to link.

She kept hers firmly folded.

"You want me to be spontaneous and wild by being a tour guide for the place I spend every working day?"

"Who said you were giving the tour? You may never know where you end up when you're being shown something from someone else's point of view..." his teeth were now hidden by a closed mouth smile but his sparkling blue eyes made up for the missing glint.

"OK - but I _do_ have to check into cover for Kasey. How about I'll grab us a drink and then I'll take you up on it. Not leaving the school though - just in case you turn out to be a creep. And no singing lessons or dingy tunnels to your secret chamber under the theatre."

"How about we check by my cousin on the way so she can vouch for me not actually being a deformed stalker? She may reveal my other dark secret though..." he admitted as Callie finally took his arm and he guide her out.

"Which is?" she turned to him.

"I am a total dork...and my name is Randy." he laughed.

"Callie." She replied as they made their way to briefly return to the hall.

_**Next chapter: Randy and Callie have some harmless fun, Brandon gets caught out and the party mischief doesn't go unnoticed by Stef and Lena.**_


	4. Halloween (Part 4)

**Hey guys - sorry for the delay. As Black Widow readers will know I have been away this weekend. **

**Here's the penultimate chapter of this short before things wind down!**

"Sit!" Stef commanded as she caught Jesus dismounting his stool.

"But Mom - those girls are looking at me and laughing." He moaned getting back up.

"They'll laugh even more if I start spanking you." She threatened.

"You've never spanked us!" He protested.

"Never too late to start." She responded jokingly to a disapproving look from Lena.

"Jealous?" she added under her breath to an even more disapproving look.

"Will you behave?" Lena scolded even more quietly but slightly unable to suppress a twitching grin.

"Maybe I don't want to..."

"Moms!" Jesus winced clearly having heard too much as it was. "That's gross!"

Stef turned to him with a glint in her eye. "Freaked out by your Moms having sex huh? Hey I wonder what your girlfriends over there will think if I start doing this..." She pulled Lena into a passionate kiss until Lena mustered enough self control to slap her chest away as Jesus covered his face.

"Go do the round or something." She ordered pushing her away through a laugh. "I know Pamela's supposed to be doing the walkarounds but I don't trust her at all."

"Fine..." Stef sighed "_You_ - come with me." She tugged Jesus up by his ear until he was standing and he obediently trudged behind.

"How long do I have to be with you for?" He whinged.

"I dunno - how long is a piece of silly string?" She goaded back before hearing an explosion and looking over to the side where a flume of fizzy pop fired into the air. There was a yell and some laughter from the surrounding children and she quickly grabbed Jesus' shirt and pulled him towards the source.

"Woah!" She heard Connor exclaim as she arrived at the scene. Both him and Jude wiped their face of the spray as Stef examined them horrified.

"What the hell are you two doing?" She cried, exasperated.

"That was awesome!" Jesus laughed as she scolded him with a look before turning her attentions back.

"We're just experimenting with our candy..." Jude responded innocently, ripping a head off a gummy snake and forcing it down. "All of them react in a different way with different drinks..."

"Go get some paper towels and clean this mess up!" She ordered as the kids around them depleted. "And no more candy!"

Jude and Connor looked down at their bags.

"Well...we ate it all anyway..." he admitted with a guilty look.

"Great - well this is gonna go well for me. Mama told you to only have some of it! You're going to be sick and it's me who's gonna have to be up all night taking care of you."

"Actually...I do feel a little funny." Jude replied holding his stomach slightly. He hadn't noticed yet with the excitement.

Stef was about to continue her reprimanding before another issue caught her attention as she heard some screaming laughter as a student collapsed into a stack of chairs.

She turned to Jude, open mouthed and looked to Connor.

"We'll sort you out later. Right now you can suffer a little to remind you what happens when you don't do what you're told." She strode off towards the commotion.

Jesus checked to see her disappearing before turning to Jude."Hey did you know if you do that again but with..."

"Jesus!" Stef called back, cutting him off. He sighed and followed as Jude rubbed his stomach.

She made her way to the giggling children pulling the one who had stumbled off the floor amidst her hysterics.

"What is going on here?" She demanded as the girl looked back at her glassy eyed.

Stef bent her head towards her face and sniffed wincing at the strong smell of alcohol coming off her breath.

"OK - that doesn't work..." she responded going into full on cop mode.

"You better come with me." She put her hand around the back of the girls' neck and guided her forward. "You too..." she clicked as the girl's friend followed too, both still giggling and seemingly unaware of how much trouble they could be in.

* * *

"So...this is the hallways that leads to that classroom...and that classroom...and that classroom..." Randy explained as Callie giggled, unimpressed.

"That's not even a classroom..."She corrected sceptically.

"Shh!" He replied. "Who's giving this tour, me or you?" He threw her an offended look while hiding a smirk.

"We've been at this for 45 minutes and we've been down the same hallways 3 times...when are you gonna give this up?" She challenged folding her arms.

"When you're bored..." he replied with a smile knowing she was enjoying herself as much as he was. He clocked another person nearby and held Callie back with his arm while peeking round the corner of the well. She squinted at him as he silently repeated a number under his breath before turning back to her smiling. "Besides, we've not reached the main attraction yet..." he beamed even more as she raised an eyebrow. He peeked around for a few more moments before jumping back against the wall as a caretaker passed by obliviously and both kids held their breaths in silence. Randy grabbed Callie's hand and guided her towards a door down the hall.

"Where are we...?"

"Shhh!" He ordered as she clocked the "Staff Only" sign.

"Randy we can't..."

With a smirk he keyed in the code he had watched be entered and opened the door, double checking they could not be locked in. He reached for a light switch on the wall and held his hand out to pull her in to their new discovery.

"We can't go in here..."

"This is my tour, remember?" He scanned the room and his smile grew further. "I know where this leads..." he smiled dragging her arm through with a laugh towards a staircase. Apart from verbally, she didn't protest. She too knew where this led as Lena had mentioned it before and part of her had always wanted to explore it. Lena had said she would take them up one day when they were in their senior year.

Randy ran up the staircase and pushed open the door, once again checking the safeguard. He took it off the latch as they went and the cool night air hit their faces.

"Voila - the main attraction!" He held his hand out to Callie as she hesitated slightly before letting him pull her up onto the rooftop courtyard of the school. There were mainly pipes and some general bricks and tiles as well as a glass frame full of plants. Lena had mentioned an eco scheme that had been set up by one of the science teachers but again had only promised to one day show them.

"How did you know this was up here?" She asked him suspiciously.

"I didn't!" He shrugged. But I did clock the flat roof and wall from the outside so figured there was some way to get up here! I guess fate was on our side!" He flashed her that beautiful smile again.

"Perfect for some star gazing wouldn't you say?" He asked running over to the wall that cordoned off the patio.

"It's hardly dark enough for stars yet - besides...it's cloudy." She responded.

"Who said I meat those stars? We live in California. I bet we'll see some celebrities if we watch super closely..." He joked with a smile.

"You really are a dork." She teased, her smile matching his. "This is ridiculous."

"But I bet you didn't expect it when you woke up this morning?" he replied. "Come on - when was the last time your day ended up being completely out of what you had planned?"

She shrugged as he lurched forward and kissed her. She was stunned but didn't fight it. After a few moments he pulled himself a way.

"I bet you didn't expect that either?"

Callie stuttered. "Randy...I dunno what impression you've got but..."

"I got the impression that you just got out of a relationship and don't want another anytime soon - so I also get the impression you won't be kissing anyone for a while. Figured as you're not gonna see me again after tonight I may as well let you have some PG fun with no strings attached."

She squinted at him licking her bottom lip.

"Want another surprise?" He asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"I can tap dance too..." He said deadly seriously before breaking into a routine as she began to laugh.

* * *

"I can't believe this - we've been testing the punch!" Lena exclaimed having left the students with a newly arrived Principal Sanchez. "Karina is not gonna be happy we had to bring her in."

"Well she was on call for this kind of thing - it's her job to deal with it, not yours. " Stef reassured her.

"Well we need to find out what the source is..." She responded almost ignoring Stef's comment.

"If there's two there'll be more, we just need to look for the most..._get back here!_" She scolded hooking Jesus' neck with her sickle. "Just because there may be kids here in more trouble than you doesn't mean you're off the hook."

Lena tutted with frustration as Jesus' imminent protest was stunted with a look from Stef before it began.

"If I tell you where the booze is will you let me go?" He offered putting his hands in his pockets.

"You knew about this?" Lena demanded folding her arms sternly.

"Every kid in the state does. Kids aren't stupid enough to spike the main punch - it'll be in another classroom or outside."

"Fine - take us, now!" Stef ordered as Jesus looked between them. He turned around and walked out the hall, looking for the signs. He didn't know exactly where Garner's bowl was yet but from past experience he knew he could figure it out pretty fast. After about three tries they found the noise and he let his Moms take the lead in the pursuit.

"Can I go now?" he asked hopefully as Lena strode ahead. Stef grabbed his shirt. "Nope."

"But I..."

"Guess you got a trick - huh?" She smiled, a lot less distracted by the situation than Lena was. She dragged him along behind Lena's trail.

"What is going on in here?" Lena stormed into the classroom as various kids sprinted out leaving only a few gathered around the table.

"It's got nothing to do with us..." One kid responded.

"We just got here..." Garner added as Lena grabbed his shirt, being able to spot a guilty party with a single glance.

"Let me see what we have here..." Stef commented taking a swig of the red mixture. She scrunched her face up as the strength hit her.

"Jeez! Is there anything that's not alcohol in here?" She said through a cough. "I do not miss high school ratios..." Lena threw her a scolding look before bunching more of his shirt up in her fist.

"Principal's office - now! She's come in just for you. I hope you feel lucky."

"Rest of you to the main hall. We're gonna check you all out and see how many parents we need to call. Move it."

Lena headed towards the door as the kids filed out in front of her.

"I'm just gonna double check this..." Stef said pulling the cup back up to her lips.. "Can never be too careful with what you're dealing..."

"Stef - seriously. If you want any chance of getting anything ever again put that down and lock up this classroom." Lena scolded tossing her the key as Jesus smirked in response to Stef's defeated sigh.

"What are you smiling at time-out boy?" She shot in Jesus' direction as his smile dropped and she followed him out with her eyes. She closed the door behind them locking it with Lena's key. She put her hand on the back of Jesus' neck pushing him forward back towards the moving crowd.

"Shhhh! We're going to get caught..." a familiar voice whispered loudly from a perpendicular corridor.

It caught both Stef and Lena's attention as they turned to see Kelsey and Mariana zig-zagging down the hall.

"What were the chances of you not being the most in trouble tonight?" Stef whispered to Jesus as her face dropped with realisation.

"I have to get these kids to Karina..." Lena shot back to Stef.

"Got it..." she replied reluctantly striding over to Mariana and Kelsey.

"What in the world do you two think you're playing at...?" She grabbed their attention sternly, her eyes like daggers.

"Not Never Have I Ever anymore...I drank the rest under the table..." Kelsey slurred as Mariana giggled buckling over slightly before Stef cleared her throat to recapture her attention from laughing at Kelsey.

"Oh we weren't playing with alcohol...just...what do you call non-alcoholic drinks?" She whispered to Kelsey as both continued to snigger.  
"Wow Mari - you're gonna be so dead..." Jesus responded through a laugh, delighting in the fact he really may not be in the most trouble tonight.

"OK - you two are going home. Like right now..."

"Wait I..." Mariana stumbled a few paces before throwing up as Stef sighed deeply and Kelsey covered her mouth from bursting into laughter.

"So dead..." Jesus added. as Stef threw him a look.

"Get to the bathroom - now! Both of you and wait for me in there..." Stef ordered. She was glad her years as a cop and more importantly a parent had made her immune to vomit.

Mariana and Kelsey staggered down the hall.

"You wait there!" She ordered Jesus. "Keep people out of this hallway while I find something to clean this up with - and you even think of disappearing, any chance of a social life will disappear till you're 21!" he raised his hands in acknowledgement as she strode off to find Lena and more importantly, a mop.

* * *

"I cannot believe this...how did this happen?" Lena ranted the two women storming down the hallway to the closet they had been to before. Stef scurried slightly behind and handed it to her. "Kids being kids Lena. There wasn't a dance at my high school where someone didn't throw up."

Lena shook her head angrily, she wasn't in the mood.

She thrust the door open as Stef let out a yell this time and Lena turned to her with a look.

"Kids being kids?" She mimicked.

"Moms!" Brandon yelped, breaking his lip-lock from Stacey.

"This is so not what it looks like..."

"Brandon! What the hell are you playing at?" Stef yelled throwing her arms into a folded position once again.

"It isn't?" Stacey asked him, ignoring the presence of their intruders.

"I...well..."

"You think it's appropriate to be making out with girls in a school closet at a party - and who knows what else you were planning!"

"We weren't really - it's just Kasey challenged me and..."

"She what?" Stacey shot back as Brandon stuttered some flapping his head between his Moms and his soon to be ex-fling.

"No, not like that - it's just she said you liked me but that I wouldn't have the guts to get with you...I mean...wait, that came out wrong..." Stacey slapped him across the face before storming out leaving him with a sigh and two angry glares.

"No...wait...I wasn't being disrespectful I just..."

"You have some gall Mister. I'd have slapped you harder."

Stef grabbed the mop next to him forcing it into his hand.

"Clean up, aisle 3 - south corridor - go. Jesus is there and we'll be right behind."

He stuttered, unsure of what had just happened. He's gone from 60 to a screeching halt in the space of a minute.

"Now!" Lena demanded as he sighed and slumped off wheeling the bucket and mop behind him.

"What, no smartass comment now?" Lena raised her eyebrow at Stef who gawped still in shock.

Stef mumbled out a few incoherent words before resigning to a sigh.

"Can we get new children?" She asked, exhausted as Lena raised her eyebrows in solidarity and turned to follow Brandon down the hall.

**Final chapter preview: The party winds down and the Moms set about getting the kids home...but will the missing ones make it back in time to go unnoticed?**


	5. Halloween (Final Part)

**OK Folks! A week of endings for me. Final Black Widow chapter was posted yesterdayand now the final in this Halloween short! That does mean I am now free of stories so taking suggestions. One shots/shorts for Fostering Fun in TV universe or one shots/shorts for this thread set in this one. Any suggestions for either welcome, even if it's as vague as specific pairings or a random situation with a specific character. Doesn't have to be fluff based but nothing too angsty or dramatic. Want them all to have a nice resolution as they are meant to be light-hearted threads.**

**Would love to know what you thought of this too, as always! Thanks for reading - I'll be adding to both of these one-shots stories once I have some ideas and some time to write them!**

**P.S. HOW EXCITING WAS THE PROMO?!**

* * *

"I'm totally winning this." Randy gloated as another pebble span into the cone of Callie's overturned hat placed at the other end of the courtyard.

"Only 'cause you're cheating! You keep clipping it so it spins round making it harder for me!" she moaned as another one of her pebbles pinged off the side.

"Hey it's not my fault where the pebble falls - I've got no advantage except having better aim!" He smiled as another landed nicely in the centre of the hat.

"Phonecall!" he yelped to distract her as she launched her go, the interruption causing it veer to the left and miss completely.

"You did that on purpose!" she complained, thumping his chest with a smile

"Maybe so but it is like the 4th time its glowed."

"What?" she squealed grabbing her bag. "Why didn't you tell me?" she pulled out her phone. "Shit, Stef's gonna kill me."

"What? Just say you had bad reception or couldn't hear it. You're at a party and they're downstairs. Building's not on fire - what could be so important?"

"I hope they've not figured out about Kasey..." she worried aloud, dialling Stef back.

"Relax! Meant to be a carefree night remember." Randy smiled at her as she flicked him one back reluctantly.

"Hey - sorry. I didn't hear it ring. What's up?" she looked nervously at Randy as Stef exploded into a rant about the hell the evening had descended into.

"Woah, woah - wait! What? Slow do - oh...punch." Callie pulled a guilty face at Randy but tried to hide it in her voice. She failed.

"Well...maybe a little but..." she winced as Stef gave her animated opinion of what she thought of her not telling her as soon as she knew.

"Am I with others...you know I am." she partially lied looking at a smirking Randy. "Oh you know...anyway. Enough about me - do you need a hand?" she winced again at the response which apparently should have been obvious.

"Where am I?" she got up and signalled that their field trip would have to come to an end.

"Uhm...the music room. Like I said we've been hanging out here..."

They scurried back down through the stairs and the back room.

"Of course I'm not running...it's just a bad line. Wait - you don't need to..._crap!_" she commented ramming her phone in her pocket.

"Moms on their way?"

"Oh yes." she replied breaking into a jog to get to the other end of the school.

"Why didn't you just tell them you had gone for a walk?" Randy asked jogging next to her.

"I...don't come up with good ideas now!" she whispered as they slid down the corridor and skimmed just passed the door as she grabbed the frame and pulled herself back up. They ran in and she leaped onto the desk, grabbing her guitar and trying to catch her breath.

"Wait! _Hide!_" she exclaimed as a panicked Randy looked around confused.

"But?"

"Kasey and Evan aren't here...sneaking off to empty classroom with strange boy? Mood Mom's in - not happening..."

He stuttered an argument before diving behind the door as Stef stormed in.

"Where are the others?"

"They - they went for a walk..." Callie stuttered as an already frustrated Stef crossed her arms.

"You said like 5 seconds ago you were with them!"

"I...I was but they said something at the same time and well...they left just as..." Stef walked towards her, eyes squinted as Callie tried to lie through the punishing glare. Her voice trailed off into the most pleading smile she could muster.

"Callie. Tell me where they are and I may not ask any questions about where you and the boy cowering behind the door just ran in from."

Randy stood up as Stef glared at him.

"I'm Randy." he held his hand out as she raised an eyebrow.

"I mean...that's my name - not like..." Callie tried to suppress a smirk. It got easier to with Stef's returning glare.

"Randy...if you know what's good for you, you'll either tell me where my other daughter is or you'll zip it."

"On a walk..." he threw a nervous look at Callie. Stef could quell anyone's confidence.

"Randy?" Stef asked as he paused.

"Shh!" she silenced him before turning back to Callie.

"Where did they go? Now."

She gave her a guilty smile as confirmation that she wasn't going to narc.

"Very well. Phone, please." Stef held her palm out as Callie stuttered and handed it to her reluctantly. She put it in her cape pocket and whipped out her own.

"Woah...what you doing?" Callie hopped up.

"Well if you're not going to tell me where she is I'll use other means."

"You know you should probably just call...I'm sure they're not far..."

"Callie."

"Shh?" she winced.

Stef nodded before looking back at the screen.

"Ho - ho! Campus accomodation? Really? It's like you lot just don't want to see daylight. Randy - it's your lucky day. I've got too many other kids to strangle tonight. Callie - if you warn Kasey I'm coming it'll be as if you were there with her."

She spun out of the room leaving the two of them in the wake.

"Wow - " Randy commented.

"She's the best, really - just don't piss her off the same day all your siblings decide to..." she responded.

* * *

"We should probably think about heading back." Evan said looking at his watch.

"Relax - if there was a rush we'd have heard." Kasey assured him sipping away at her cup. "We have at least another half hour before they even start to wrap up."

"But what if something goes wrong and they go looking for us?"

"Callie will cover - she said she'd call if Mom started asking questions. Quit checking your phone. She'll call me."

"I just don't have a good feeling about this..."

"Evan, dude! Why the face?" A friend called Charlie slapped him on the back, slurring merrily away.

"He's all paranoid my Mom is gonna find out we're here. It's quite sweet."

Charlie laughed pinching Evan's cheek, mockingly as Evan smirked.

"So I wanna stay on her good side - sue me. She controls my visitation rights."

"He's more scared of your Mom than you are Kase - even after she kicked your ass for coming to all those classes with us." He beamed flicking his head to Evan.

"Know what you need, Ev?" he winked across to another friend who immediately ran over to the makeshift bar. "Spotlight downer!" Charlie flashed a light in his face as Evan rolled his eyes.

"He can down a pint in 8.5 seconds!" the second guy boasted on Evan's behalf. "His downing of two varies but sure he's up for it!"

"Guys, not again..." he protested reluctantly.

"You have a skill, Ev! Be proud of it!" Charlie slapped him on the back.

"Fine. But no more, I've already had a couple and I need to get Kasey back safe.

"You don't have to see Moms, I'll just tell them you went back to yours..."

"OK." he grabbed the two-Pinter glass and began to chug.

"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!" echoed around as he seemingly gulped down the liquid, it disappearing more as if he was eating it in huge chunks. Whistles and whoops surrounded him as he opened his eyes to finish and sprayed out the final mouthful, narrowly missing his audience.

"Woah! What happened? Gag?"

"Holy shit I thought I saw your Mom."

"You're hallucinating!" Kasey replied.

"No - really. I just saw the grim reaper."

"Don't worry dude - sure you've got a few years left in you yet..." Charlie joked.

"I wouldn't bet on it." Stef replied as the boys screamed and turned her creeping up right behind them.

"Mom -" Kasey exclaimed nervously. "What...ha. Uhm...party going OK?"

"Shit dude, you're right. She is scary." Charlie whispered as an aside to Evan.

"Your parents gonna be scary when they find out you're risking your accommodation at an underage boozer?" she asked snapping round to him.

"Uhm..." he stuttered.

"Then shut up." she silenced him. "You two - with me now."

"Actually Mrs F, I..." she glared round at him.

"Will be right behind you.." he quickly decided to abandon any alternative plans.

Stef strode out with the two if them scurrying behind, Evan trying desperately to maneuvre the reindeer around leaping students.

"Mom just so you know I've only drunk one cup all night."

"Kasey." Stef swung round. "Your brother has been egging houses and cars, your other brother making out in closets because of bets which you apparently made with him by the way, your sister puking up drunk from spiked punch and your youngest brother playing science with candy and soda. Right now I don't care if you were doing a kegstand - I am _so_ not in the mood."

"I told you we should have told her the punch was spiked! And you said the whole Jesus thing would make her less mad with us." Evan whispered, not quite as subtly as the pints convinced him he had.

"Evan! Shh!" Kasey gritted teeth silencing informed him otherwise as Stef glared at her angrily. She bowed her head slightly with a wince.

"Oh come on Mom...everyone knew the punch would be spiked. Even you were joking about it!"

"Weirdly enough when the Principal gets dragged in on our watch it's not so much of a joke any more."

"You know sounds like it's a good thing we weren't at that party...seems like it got a little out of hand...bad influence and all." Evan offered, once again the pints clouding his better judgement.

Kasey turned her head away slightly to remove herself from the awkwardness of Stef squaring up to a now cowering Evan. He trembled, the light glancing off her sickle.

"Just trying to lighten the mood..." he squeaked as Stef rattled his bones with a deathly glare.

"Move it." she whispered sternly before pulling away.

He took a deep breath and exchanged a look with Kasey as Stef turned and briskly moved off towards the door.

"Can I come live with you..." Kasey whispered to him. "I really don't wanna close both eyes tonight..."

"I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep at all..." he whimpered.

* * *

They returned to the school to find the rest of the kids, minus Mariana, huddled in the corner. Jude was nursing his stomach, Brandon in a huff and the rest of the hall was clearing. Lena was talking to parents and various kids were being dragged home.

"Any of you move from this spot people will be using the result as a Halloween costume for next year." Stef warned before going to find Mariana.

"I'm sorry Kase -" Callie began as soon as Stef was out of earshot. "Stef took my phone."

"It's OK - sounds like it got a little crazy."

"We did cover for you a couple times but then we were distracted and she came looking." Randy added in.

"Thanks any...wait. Who the hell are you?" Kasey replied realising she had never seen him before.

Callie looked between them bashfully.

"Kasey, Randy - Randy Kasey."

"Hehe...randy Kasey." Evan echoed to himself with a chuckle...the rising effect of the beer giving him an ever-growing happy bubble.

Kasey shook her head before raising an eyebrow towards an embarrassed looking Callie.

"Randy, huh? Glad to see you've been making friends..." she winked as Callie pulled a face.

"We were just hanging out..." Callie emphasised.

"Let it all hang out! You should be in a toga like me." Evan chirped randomly as Kasey threw him a confused look through another smirk before he looked across at Callie. "Don't worry - I'm wearing boxers." he clarified, uninvited, before Kasey shook her head again and thanked God Stef wasn't still around.

"Hey wait. Where's your hat?" Evan observed as Callie's face dropped and grabbed the top of her head.

"Shit! Shit! _Shit!_" she cursed looking at Randy who had a similar look.

"We must have left it on the roof!"

"Woah, woah!" Kasey exclaimed. "You guys were on the roof? Did Moms catch you?"

"If they did I'm pretty sure he'd be in a pile just below it." Evan teased a slightly unnerved Randy.

"There's no way I'm gonna get away with that if one if the bio teachers reports it to Lena."

"Fear not fair...witch..." Evan responded. "I will be your...cave...man..." he picked up his Rudolph and scurried towards the door before quickly u-turning and running back.

"I have no idea how to get to the roof...did you climb up the side or...?" he asked innocently as Kasey put her face in her palms.

"I'll show you bud..." Randy offered with a smile.

"Please don't break anything -" Kasey shouted over. "I'm in enough trouble." she added hopelessly to Callie who gave her a limp smile.

"So..." she teased. "Randy, huh?"

"It's not a big deal, he just found me in the music room and decided to try and cheer me up. He doesn't really know anyone here."

"But he wants to know you..." Kasey poked her tongue out as Callie nudged her.

"Don't you have some grovelling to do with Mom or something? She is really pissed."

"Are you kidding? I'm not spending a minute more with her than I have to - I'd rather just wait for the lecture, ass kicking and hide."

The girls were interrupted as Randy returned.

"Evan?" Callie asked.

"I told him where to go and the code but my aunt just arrived to collect us...I wanted to come say goodbye."

"Bye!" Kasey beamed before returning a scowling look of Callie's with an even more smug expression.

"Oh - you want to say goodbye alone. Why didn't you just say?" She smirked as Callie pinched her trying to hide her embarrassment with a smile.

She stepped off her chair and walked Randy a little bit away.

"I had a really fun night. Thank you for trying to help me find myself again." She smiled.

"Anytime. Well...when I'm actually in the state." He joked. "You're a cool girl Callie. I hope things go your way."

"Same with you. Have a good night." She smiled folding her arms awkwardly to avoid any confusion over contact.

He nodded slowly and rubbed her arm.

"_Love me...it's all I ask of..._" was heard echoing from behind before it was quelled by a stern look from Callie and Kasey decided her Phantom of the Opera contribution wasn't being as well received as she hoped. Callie turned back to him rolling her eyes.

"Goodnight." He smirked back before giving her a kiss on the cheek and disappearing. She watched him leave before turning round to a refrain.

"_Order your fine horses...be with them at the..._ow!" Kasey exclaimed in return for the sharp punch on her arm.

"That's Raoul, not the Phantom." Callie corrected her misuse of song before chucking her fur coat over her face.

Kasey pulled it off and blew out her now messy hair.

"I know but breaking into '_DUHHH! DUH DUH DUH DUH DUHHHHH_' just didn't seem appropriate." she laughed.

"It may be now..." Callie replied as they noticed Stef and Lena striding towards them with a queasy looking Mariana in tow.

"Wow - you don't look so good." Kasey commented.

"I'll be fine - you don't need to cover for me now by the way...Moms found out." She babbled with a slur obliviously with even less subtlety than Evan as Kasey closed her eyes in dread. She opened them to reveal two stern looks.

"I...well...uhm..." Kasey winced guiltily.

"Wow - you're batting 1000 tonight." Stef remarked as Lena shook her head. She wasn't in the mood even to acknowledge anything to do with more children.

"You lot - car." Stef ordered. "This night is _finally_ over."

They made their way outside.

"If you guys know what's good for you this will remain a silent journey." Stef commented before something caught her eye.

"One question though before the silence begins." they looked over to her, slightly confused.

"Why is there a reindeer on the roof?"

"Uhm..." Callie began looking across to Kasey before they dared to look up. Lena did look up before simply shaking her head and retreating to the car leaving Stef to deal with it.

_"Evan!"_ Stef yelled as his head sheepishly emerged over the side, Callie's hat being shuffled around in his grasp.

"Care to explain?" She shouted up, arms crossed furiously.

He looked round at the deer and back at Stef.

"Santa came early?" he yelled back hopefully as Jesus failed to suppress a smirk. Stef glared back at him with a furrowed brow.

"Honey, are you by any chance locked up there?" Kasey shouted back nervously.

"A little..." he fired back apologetically.

"I'll go let him out...I sorta know the code." Callie admitted knowing it may as well come from her. Stef's head drooped and she scurried off before she could respond. She turned to Kasey instead.

"Hey that one I literally only just found out about..." She replied with her hands up in defense.

* * *

The family entered in the house one by one.

"Ugghhh..." Jude groaned.

"Well, what do you know?" Lena snapped back with a snark. He looked up at her sorrowfully.

"Remember this next time I tell you to only have a couple of bits of candy." Lena scolded him. "Get to bed. You too Mariana - and if either of you think you're getting out of school tomorrow you have another thing coming - in fact, Mariana - you probably won't remember but you're gonna be president of the clean up squad. 7am. I don't care if you have to carry a second bucket around with you for your own use."

The two of them plodded up the stairs with a groan.

"Brandon - as things turn out you can just about get away with what you did tonight after helping us clean up a little already - but we can catch you treating women like that again you'll be writing a thesis on respect as long as the bible." He too nodded.

"Guessing stuff didn't go so well with Stacey..." Kasey whispered to Callie, too loudly for Stef's liking.

"Oh so it did have something to do with you...?" She turned to her.

Kasey's mouth flapped. "Is there even any point in..."

"Nope." Stef silenced her turning to Jesus. "You know what you have to do - don't make us tell you twice or have to drag you out of bed. It won't be pretty. Get upstairs." Knowing better than to argue at this time in these circumstances he bombed it up the stairs, finally able to get out of sight.

Kasey and Callie began to follow him before a "Not you two." shot down their spines.

"I am way too tired to deal with this properly right now but Callie - you're on clean-up squad with Mariana and Kasey, you have Jesus. Get him cleaning those houses at 7. If he's late you're responsible..."

"But..."

"Do you think I care?" She silenced her. "As for the rest of your punishment we'll talk tomorrow. I can't deal with anything else tonight. Bed. Both of you."

The two girls sighed and headed up.

* * *

Stef and Lena made their way into their bedroom and flopped down onto their bed.

"That has got to be the worst school party I have ever been to." Lena grumbled, exhausted. "Karina is going to be fun tomorrow."

"She's the one who pawned it off on you. We did everything we were supposed to." Stef replied, equally as exhausted.

"You didn't bring that punch home did you?" Lena jibed through her first laugh since the party, cynical as it was.

Stef looked across to her. "Was that a joke? Look at you. Vice Principal Lena has clocked out." she teased.

"More like Vice Principal Lena is going to resign. If I have to look at another teenager I may strangle them."

Stef laughed. "Hey I have a list of suggestions. I'll give you a clue - it's 6 kids long."

Lena breathed out a laugh in response.

"Hey, you know...I know an activity that has absolutely zero teenagers involved..." Stef turned and began to kiss down Lena's neck.

"Stef - come on...they're all in the house and we're exhausted."

"I'm pretty sure I can find some strength somewhere...and they've tortured us enough tonight. It's their own fault we need a way to de-stress..."

Lena rolled over with a smile and leaned forward to return the kisses before there was a knock on the door and Stef deflated with a scowl.

_"Moms - Jude's throwing up..."_ Jesus shouted through the door.

Lena threw Stef a defeated look. "See - it's not happening tonight."

_"And I think Mariana just stumbled to the bathroom downstairs."_

Stef furrowed her brow. "You know what...I have an idea." She rocked over and swung herself off the bed.

"You do what you have to do and I will be ready for you when I return." She winked before heading out to meet Jesus.

"OK - thank you for letting me know. Get to bed - you have an early start."

She strode past him and knocked on Callie and Kasey's door before barging in.

"Hey - you two. Punishment starts now. Callie - Jude, Kasey - Mariana. Anything they need you help them. We get disturbed - it's for a trip to the hospital; either because it gets bad enough that you think they need one or because you will. Got it? Good. Mariana's down, Jude's up. Let's go, let's go."

"Wait, isn't that just shirking your parental responsibilities?" Kasey protested as Callie worked her way through to find Jude.

"No, it's delegating - and besides, I've had enough parental responsibilities tonight, it's time I honour some marital ones."

Kasey screwed up her face. "Are you actually joking me? We're babysitting while you..."

"You wanna finish that sentence?" Stef challenged.

"Not really..." Kasey resigned after her pause.

Stef smiled. "Have a good night. I know we will." She slapped her lightly on the cheek leaving her gawping with a groan.

Stef returned to the bedroom as Lena came through from the bathroom.

"Wanna make it a happy Halloween after all?" Stef smiled before pulling her into an embrace.

**Hope you enjoyed! If so, please leave a review! :) Any suggestions just whack them my way either there or in a PM!**

**Thanks!**


	6. Sick Day

**Hi All! Back to the one shots now - posted a Fostering Fun yesterday so here's a FN&D for today! This was a suggestion from _TheTBone _who wanted another flashbacky type fic with Stef having to nurse a stubborn Kasey who refuses to acknowledge her being ill. This was the result - it's pretty much pure fluff but hopefully people are in the mood for that.**

**Speaking of _TheTBone_ - we have a co-write coming! it will probably be posted here as a 2-parter in the next few days so look out for it!**

**Hope you enjoy - suggestions for either universe welcome (and encouraged!).**

* * *

"No Brandon. I didn't know that about dinosaurs." Lena humoured him as the 9 year old chattered on.

"And you know they think that they were extinct because of a huge, _huge_ asteroid that crashed into the Earth." He illustrated the explanation with his hands, encapsulating Jesus' attention. "Can you imagine how big that must have been!"

"That'd be like super huge! Like this big!" Jesus stretched his arms out as far as he could knocking over a glass of orange juice at the same time.

"Jesus!" Mariana scolded.

"Oops!" he exclaimed.

"It's OK - no-one panic. Brandon can you get a cloth please?" Lena instructed.

"Sure thing, Mama." he leapt off his chair with a faint roar as he practiced his different dinosaur sounds. "You know they can tell what noises they made because of the shape of their bones! I read it in my magazine. Jesus, we can play with the CD off of it later in the computer if Moms say we can."

"Only if he's finished his homework." Mariana added sternly, mimicking Lena, as Jesus threw her a glare rocking his legs back and forth under his chair.

Lena winked at her as she mopped up the juice.

"Kasey! Get back here." Stef instructed as she scurried down the stairs. "I will _pick_ you up - I'm not playing here."

"No! You're going to put me back into bed."

"Yes I am, because you need to _go_ back to bed. The last thing we need is all of you getting sick." she hauled her up to a shrieking reception and threw her over her shoulder taking her back up the stairs as Kasey spun and flailed.

"That's because germs spread through things that we touch. You know that there are 150 different types of bacteria just on your hand! It's why you should always wash your hands before you eat - flu germs can last for like two days!" Brandon exploded his hands out again as if to animate the sheer awesomeness of the fact, Jesus gawped at him once again, enthralled. He was forever flabbergasted by the superior font of knowedge his foster brother enlightened him with daily - until he would get distracted by massacring one of the only remaining parts of a rapidly disintegrating slice of toast.

"Yes, thank you Brandon." Stef replied, flustered. "Kasey, stop struggling or I'll drop you!" Stef ordered as her writhing caused her to have to slow down to single steps at a time up the stairs.

"So drop me! I hate it when you pick me up! I'm not a baby!" She hadn't been this uncooperative in years but the sickness was draining her and she had always been terrible at being looked after.

"Well I wouldn't need to if you did what you were told." Stef argued trying to balance.

"I don't see why I can't go to school." she demanded, flopping her limbs down as the lack of energy defeated her resilience.

"Because you're sick!" Stef shot back. The sympathy she had accumulated and flooded her with during the drowsy night-time hours had long been ousted by much less compliant morning Kasey.

"I'm not!" she protested with another burst. "You're overreacting."

Stef widened her eyes at the use of the word but the rate at which Kasey was devouring books, little shocked her vocabulary wise. She plonked her back in bed.

"Stay. There. I mean it! Just because you're sick doesn't mean I can't punish you for misbehaving." she warned her as Kasey swung her body round onto her front in a huff.

"I'm not sick any-"

Stef closed the door cutting off the monotonous chant before she had to endure it again. She took a deep breath and smeared hand sanitiser onto her hands as she made her way back down the stairs.

"I don't mind staying home. I'm feeling sick too!" Jesus was explaining as she returned, bouncing on his seat again.

"You see you'll have picked up the germs from Kasey." Brandon informed them wisely.

"Jesus, you're not sick" Lena assured him

"No I am. Really." he ran off into the bathroom and loud, unconvincing vomiting sounds could be heard before he came running back out.

"See! Can I stay home with Kasey?" Stef blew a hair out of her face from her struggle trying to wrangle her daughter and looked across at Lena who raised an eyebrow.

Stef put her palm over Jesus' forehead.

"You know Lena, he does feel a little warm. "She pulled him close to her so he couldn't escape. She pinned his head to her stomach as he tried to wriggle out.

"In fact I think this one's worse. He's gonna need shots."

"Shots?" he exclaimed through a muffle as the result of completely shuffling round to now have his face pressed firmly into Stef's stomach.

"Definitely. I think its Gazpacho Fever. Hang on, let me check."

She licked her finger and poked it in his ear as he squirmed with a yelp.

"Yep. His ear is pretty hot too."

"You get the vegetables cooking for the soup - I'll call the doctor." Lena hustled over to the phone.

"What does she mean vegetables?" Jesus asked using all of his strength to try and push off her and free his head as Stef still kept tight reign.

"It's the only cure. You cook a bunch of vegetables, put them in a blender and then eat them cold. It's all you can eat till you're cured."

"I don't have that...!" he squealed as Stef finally freed him and knelt down on one knee. "You don't? Well that's the only explanation. There's nothing else it could be with your symptoms." she stretched his eyelids out. "I think I'm better." He shot out in a panic.

"So you'll be able to go to school then?" she asked him as he nodded furiously.

"It's OK Mama - false alarm." she assured her with a wink following him back to the table.

"Wait a minute there no such thing as..." Brandon's remark was muffled sharpish by Stef's hand over his mouth.

"Why don't you guys go get your back packs?" she suggested.

"Race!" Jesus exclaimed jumping off his stool as Stef let go of Brandon to grab it before it hit the floor. Brandon scurried after stating his protests due to the impossibility of conducting a fair race when he had been being held by Stef at the starting point.

"Should we take Kasey some breakfast?" Mariana asked sweetly as Stef pushed her hair back with a smile. "Don't worry sweets, I'll sort her out when she can eat again." She patted her on her back as she delicately dismounted her stool and skipped off after the boys.

"Kasey - I can see you at the top of the stairs. Get back in bed now or I'll make you sicker than you're pretending not to be!" Stef threatened as the target quietly sulked back into her room.

"Are you sure this meeting is really that important?" she pleaded with Lena once the kids had disappeared.

"Stop whining - you've already got the day off."

"But..."

"For one - it's your turn and two - yes, this meeting is too important to miss."

"Is it more important than our daughter's life?" Stef asked seriously as Lena laughed.

"She's got a stomach flu. I think she'll survive."

"The way things are going so far, I can't promise that..." Stef replied earnestly.

"Well it's good for you to get a taste of your own medicine anyway." Lena replied striding to collect her own possessions for school.

"What's that supposed to mean? Stef followed her, offended.

"It means you're a terrible patient and it's good for you to know how stubborn it is to handle."

"I am not! How would you even know, I'm never ill!"

Lena turned to her with a teasing grin.

"Hey did you hear that? It's like an echo!" she joked as Stef narrowed her eyes at her. Lena kissed her cheek over her scowl before yelling the kids down.

"She'll fall asleep, just try and keep her quiet and she'll drift off." she reassured her partner

"Duct tape?" Stef asked, slightly more seriously than Lena would have liked but she shook her head playfully anyway.

"Come on guys." Lena shepherded the returning kids towards the car.

"Not...you, my friend." Stef grabbed the back of Kasey's collar as she tried to slip past her and tugged her back before the protests began.

* * *

"But I'm not tired!" Kasey flopped back onto the bed.

"Really? Because I'm tired and I was up all night with you puking your guts out." Stef replied firmly tucking her in with any vague hope it may actually keep her there.

"I was just _being_ sick. It doesn't mean I _am_ sick." Kasey mumbled.

"I think you will find that's the definition, my love." Stef informed her blankly checking the room temperature on a thermometer.

"Well I've not been sick today!"

"No sweets." She acknowledged, turning back to her and placing her hand on her forehead. "but you still have a temperature and you're probably still contagious. I'm not risking it."

"How do you know I'm not just hungover?" Kasey protested as Stef threw her a look of pure shock before snorting out a laugh.

"If you're hungover then we have bigger problems...where on earth would you get that from?"

"When you went to that work party and the next morning Lena said you were getting no sympathy because you were hungover, not sick." She recited clearly with a stern look of concern.

Stef opened her mouth to answer but it seemed to just freeze that way as Kasey gazed up at her with expectant eyes.

"Well trust me...you're not hungover." She did her best to block off any light from the window, fidgetting with the positioning of the drapes.

"How do you get hungover then?" Kasey asked, the confusion growing.

"From drinking alcohol...and I'm pretty sure you've not been drinking any of that. Nor will you for many years..._hopefully_" She added with an aside as she wandered back over to the bed. She gently pushed Kasey's head back down onto the pillows before she immediately propped it back up, resting on her elbows.

"Alcohol's bad though, right? So if you had a hangover then you must have been drinking alcohol...is that why Lena was mad at you?"

"Lena wasn't mad at...look it's just that too _much_ alcohol is bad." Stef began to stumble through the answers. She'd had less than an hour's sleep the night before and an interrogation was not on her list of desired activities.

"Why is too much alcohol bad?" Kasey asked, once again sitting up as Stef tried to leave. She bit her lip and turned back to her.

"Because it gives you a _hangover_ - and nobody wants that. Plus it makes you do silly things. Now how about some quiet time, huh?" she channeled her frustration into adopting a calm, motherly tone in the hopes it may hypnotise Kasey into a more docile mood. She placed Kasey's head back down but once again it was up before she had so much as turned around.

"But then if you had a hangover then you must have had too..."

"You know - I think it's time to check your temperature again." She promptly placed an oral thermometer in Kasey's mouth to silent her imminent thought process.

"But..." she mumbled taking it out before Stef slapped her hand lightly and shoved it back in.

"No touching or talking when the thermometer's in your mouth." Kasey dipped her head down, crossing her arms as Stef breathed in the moments of temporary silence. If she left it just a little longer than she was meant to, Kasey's brain may have tangented off to another subject.

She eventually pullled it out and checked it over.

"It's down a bit but still a little high."

"But if I feel better this afternoon I can go to school?"

Stef smiled smugly. "If you feel _better_ this afternoon? That sounds like you're not feeling so good now..." Stef challenged her. It was a cheap shot to try and out smart a 9 year old but she was learning fast with Kasey to take what she could get.

"I'm just playing along for you." She mumbled as Stef chuckled slightly, her frustration waning at the quirkiness of it.

"Soo...I can go to school this afternoon?" Kasey asked again eagerly as if asking a second time may change the answer. Stef exhaled.

"If your temperature goes down low enough, sure." She lied. "But the only way to get it down is if you sleep for a little while."

"Mom. I'm not Brandon or Jesus." She rolled her eyes. "I know that's not true." Stef was slightly taken aback by the patronising glare but decided not to get into another medical debate, especially as it morphed quickly into a cough and the sorrowful disposition the bug was forcing upon her made a return.

"Why are you so desperate to go to school anyway?" She asked. "Most kids would kill for a day off school."

Kasey shrugged. "I like school - and all my friends are there." she wisped, uncomfortably as Stef took the momentary lapse in resistance as an opportunity to slip some medicine down her throat.

"Oh and I'm not good enough company for you?" Stef teased with mock offence as Kasey licked the spoon clean and winced.

"Daddy would let me go to school." She huffed as Stef breathed out a frustrated laugh. Kasey had been tending towards an annoying habit of playing them against each other recently but now was not the time to tackle it.

"Your Dad would have slipped you a whiskey and milk cocktail 3 hours ago to get you to go to sleep! Speaking of which - do it! Come on. Get some rest. If you don't sleep this off today you may have to miss _two_ days of school."

"Don't be ridiculous, Mother." Kasey shamed the suggestion with another patronising look, a tiny bit of strength making its comeback at the mere suggestion. "If I'm not sick today I definitely won't be sick tomorrow. How come _Brandon_ doesn't have to be sick too?"

"Because every now and again the universe is determined to _try_ and prove to me there is a God." Stef knew the only thing worse than being stuck at home with one sickly chatterbox was being stuck at home with two. She kissed her head.

"Come on Kasey - just try and sleep. For me. Please?" Stef considered bribery but hoped that she could at least get somewhere with good will. "It would really help me out." Kasey rolled her eyes.

"Fine. If you absolutely need me to." Stef smiled as she finally hit the right button for her mood. Martyrdom. She stroked her cheek softly before getting up.

"OK - I will come and check on you in a little while. If you think you're going to be sick again there's a bucket by your bed but try and shout for me. I'll just be in my room. Kasey nodded settling back down as Stef turned down the light.

She noticed Kasey already having drifted off by the time she reached the door and shook her head to herself with a smile.

She made her way to her own bed and flopped down. Within minutes, she too drifted off.

* * *

Stef snapped awake, her sensors buzzing. She leapt off the bed and darted to Kasey's room, clocking the empty sheets. She was about to check the bathroom before hearing some movement downstairs.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?" She asked, arms folded sternly as Kasey stood hovering guiltily over a piece of paper, backpack on. Clearly the hour or two she had been down had given her a new burst of energy.

"Leaving you a note...I didn't want you to worry..."

"Worry about what? You better not have even thought about sneaking off, young lady..." Stef walked up to her as she cowered slightly.

"Not sneaking off...just...going to see Mama...I didn't want to wake you."

"You only call her "Mama" when you are trying to get away with something. How exactly were you planning on getting to school?" Kasey had clocked on early that the best way to get to Lena's heart was family. She had long accepted her as a second mother but it didn't stop the old habit of calling her "Lena" die hard - unless of course it would work to her advantage. Stef was angry but more intrigued at how this master plan would have been pulled off. Especially as she had locked the doors as a precaution. "If you were planning on walking there by yourself you're gonna be in serious trouble...you know you're not allowed to walk anywhere without one of us."

"Of course not! I know that. I'd probably have got a cab." She shrugged casually. Stef made a mental note to scourge the house of cab numbers.

"Oh would you now? Well guess what, we're gonna be having a serious talk about that when you're feeling better. For now though, get yourself back to bed. No arguments. You're in too much trouble, my friend. I'm gonna be locking you in there!" She marched her back upstairs and into bed taking her backpack off and discarding it by the bed.

"You know how dangerous it is to leave the house by yourself!"

"I thought you said we were gonna talk about it when I was feeling better." She challenged.

"Oh so now you're sick again?" Stef finally won a round as Kasey snapped her mouth shut looking down to her hands.

"Come on Kasey - there must be something we can do to keep you settled. If you're so desperate to go to school why don't we do some homework?" She suggested, hoping that it may be an opening to promote sleep as the alternative.

Kasey's eyes sprung up. "Well...now you mention it..." She peered down to her backpack, an idea forming.

"I do have these math problems that I've been trying to do."

Stef's face lit up. It wasn't exactly her perfect way to spend the day but it had to be better than the endless game of cat and mouse.

"Let's do that then..." If Kasey was half as tired as she should be she wouldn't last long once her brain was engaged in anything that required too much brain power.

"Now, you lie back there and let's see what we have here."

Stef shuffled next to her on the bed and began to read through the problems as Kasey beamed up at her.

"Two boxes of different dimensions...which one will fit..." she mumbled between reading aloud and in her head.

"I've solved it." Kasey answered. "It's that one." She poked the sheet as Stef looked down at her. "Are you struggling?" Kasey asked her plainly as Stef stuttered. "No! Of course not...it's just it's your homework. I don't want to give you all the answers." She stalled while rapidly trying to awaken her latent math cells.

Kasey shrugged. "Why is it that one then?" She asked, looking at her suspiciously.

"Well...because..." she studied it briefly before a relieving moment of enlightenment. "Volume - isn't it. If you work out the volume then that one is bigger so you can fit more in." She smiled, giving herself a mental pat on the back for remembering. Kasey also made a mental note.

"OK - good. Well done, Mom. The second one is really hard though..." She now partially lied before laying her head back and smiling quietly to herself.

Stef studied it, her competitive nature stirring - even when the opponent was a cocky 9-year-old.

As time slipped on and the questions all answered Kasey finally drifted off. Stef folded away the paper with her scribbled down notes and placed it on her nightstand. She sat for a few moments watching her sleep before brushing back her hair and softly placing a lingering kiss on her temple. She always found it was easier to appreciate her children when they were sleeping.

* * *

"Mama we're going to play on the computer!" Brandon informed Lena as both he and Jesus darted past on either side before she'd even got in the door.

"Only after you've finished your..._homework_." She sighed realising it was a futile reminder.

"Did you have a nice day at school today, Mariana?" She asked her delicate new daughter. Mariana always was overpowered in the car so both Stef and Lena always made sure to take some time to focus on her once the boys were gone.

"It was OK." She replied with a shy smile. "We got to colour in pictures of Chinese dragons!" She beamed thinking back to the pleasantness. "Jesus kept leaving big white patches though so I had to finish his off for him." She informed her.

"Well I'm sure he appreciated that." Lena laughed, cupping her face. "Why don't you go make sure they heard what I said about homework?" She instructed as Mariana nodded proudly and floated off upstairs.

"How did it go?" Lena asked kissing the back of an unresponsive Stef's head. She drearily smiled and shimmied round to face her from her position hunched over the kitchen table.

"Tiring! She settled eventually though. We had one attempted jailbreak which we are gonna have to talk to her about."

"Oh really?" Lena raised an eyebrow.

"She was going to go to school to see "Mama" as she didn't want to wake me..." Stef jibed poking her tongue out slightly.

"Yeah - she only calls me that when she wants something." Lena observed in a similar way that Stef had done.

"So how did you finally get her off to sleep then?" Lena asked pouring out a seemingly overdue cup of coffee for them both.

"Math homework seemed to take it out of her."

"You made her do homework when she was sick?" Lena asked, slightly concerned as she handed her the mug.

"She wanted to...she was desperate to get to school and I suggested it to make her hopefully decide to sleep instead but she was really keen to get this work done. Guess she likes math more than we thought." Stef shrugged as Lena looked across suspiciously.

"...and she did all of the questions?" She probed further, her tone dropping emotionless.

"Well - we worked through them together. I helped her a lot. She seemed to really be struggling."

Lena nodded with a smirk. "I bet she did." She replied with an underlying dig as Stef turned to her.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Tell me - how many of the answers did Kasey come up with? Did you by any chance get quite into it and answer most of them?"

"Well...to start off with she was doing them but then she wasn't too sure and to be honest you're right, I was finding them quite addictive..." she continued as Lena nodded deliberately with each statement, Stef slowly registering the obviousness with which she was acknowledging them. "...so I talked her through a couple and then as time...went...on..._that little_...!" realisation flooded her face as Lena laughed.

"You just got played by a 9-year-old."

"A sick 9-year-old!" Stef grumbled resentfully. "When she's well again I'm gonna...oh that girl!" She sleepily laughed at her own gullibility, vaguely impressed. "Well I'll add manipulation that to the list of new things to tackle when she's feeling better. Ugh." She wavered slightly as she stood, her balance betraying her.

"You OK there?" Lena asked, slightly concerned, as Stef rubbed her stomach slightly.

"I'm fine...probably just overtired." She batted it away.

"You know you have been in constant contact with Kasey - you may well be coming down with something..."

"Don't be ridiculous." She replied. "I've been using sanitiser like life support. Nothing gets past my immune system." Stef boasted before pausing to steady herself on the counter once again. "I just got up...too...just give me a minute..." She dashed off towards the bathroom as Lena collapsed her head onto the counter. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.


	7. Counting on Trouble (Part 1)

**Hi folks! Something a little different - and extremely rare! A couple weeks ago _TheTBone _offered me an idea that she had thought up and done a bit of a script for and I thought it was hilarious and fitting for the way I've portrayed Stef and Kasey's relationship so we decided I would expand it out a bit as a co-write in this universe. Not much happens - I guess we're just showing a bit of rebellious Kasey getting put back in her place by a creative Stef. A bit gratuitous but it's all a bit of fun - except for Kasey. The poor kid. It's a two-parter and I hope you guys enjoy reading it. The endless parent-daughter cat and mouse.**

* * *

The Fosters gathered round the breakfast table about their usual bustling routine. Callie looked at her phone nervously for the 4th time, her interest in it not going unnoticed.

"You trying to get your phone confiscated before school?" Stef asked playfully as Callie eventually looked up realising she was the focus of the comment. Both Lena and Stef were staring at her.

"What?"

"Seem a bit distracted...you expecting a call?"

"Uh...no. Nothing." she smiled slipping the phone into her pocket. Lena and Stef looked across at each other putting it aside to note a more pressing matter.

"Kasey not up yet? I swear that girl is just asking for a bucket of water." Stef quipped.

Callie laughed, a little too obviously, before driving a last piece of toast into her mouth and hopping off her seat at the table.

"I'll go check. She did say something about going in early and I'll see you at school..." her voice trailed off as she hopped up off out the room. Stef and Lena exchanged another look and both moved to round her off.

"Where's the fire there Callie?" Stef asked with a knowing grin as they slowed her down and swooped round to block the stairs.

She sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth before forcing out a smile.

"Nothing - just want to go through some things before school. Think that's where Kasey is...now you mention it I remember this morning she said she was gonna go study before school so to tell you she wasn't gonna be at breakfast."

Stef and Lena each raised an eyebrow to each other.

"Callie...we're gonna ask you a question and I want you to think very carefully about your answer - bearing in mind that a three-year old with crumbs around their mouth would give Evan a run for his money when it comes to lying - and that Kasey has never gone to study before school in as long as she's been alive." Stef explained before Lena continued.

"Did Kasey sleep in our house last night?"

Callie dithered slightly, open mouthed and looked between the two interrogating glares studying her reaction. Just then her phone bleeped and she shuffled nervously as Stef raised an eyebrow before holding her hand out. Lena's remained firmly crossed.

"Phone, please." She asked as Callie obliged.

_"Missed alarm – sorry! Will be at school, cover if you can but if not I'll wing it."_

Stef showed the text to Lena who gave Callie a nod as a sign she was free to go.

"Can I get my..." she paused clocking the two stern looks. "...never mind." She bolted up the stairs in resignation that the phone would probably be held ransom for a little while.

"Sneaking off and spending the night at Evan's with aim to sneak back in unnoticed before breakfast?" Lena observed shaking her head.

"She's getting cocky again. That girl needs a reality check." Stef replied.

"What are we gonna do?" Lena asked reading the text again. A devilish smile filled out Stef's face.

"Can you leave this one with me? I will drum this out of her."

Lena opened her eyes wide with a smile. "I see Kasey's not the only cocky one..."

"Well I'm allowed to be – please? Every inch she keeps taking a mile - she needs reminding who's boss."

Lena kissed her as a sign of approval as Stef gave herself another contented smile

_"Good luck with that."_ She texted back from Callie's phone before returning to the breakfast table.

* * *

"Were they mad?" Kasey exclaimed, chasing a striding Callie down the hallway.

"Of course they were mad! I mean not yell-y mad but that super creepy she's-going-to-be-paying-for-this-into-her-fifties kind of mad." She explained, frustrated. "I couldn't even explain you not being there had I had time to prepare, never mind when you were supposed to be back! I didn't know whether you were suddenly gonna emerge. You could at least given me some warning!" She scolded her.

"I know - I'm sorry! The alarm didn't go off. I barely had 5 minutes to get to school on time." Kasey looked around edgily as if her Moms would pop out any moment.

"I'll just try and avoid them as long as possible. Maybe they'll forget how mad they were." She reasoned as Callie turned to her with knitted eyebrows.

"Kasey - you may have slept in but you're not still _dreaming!_"

Kasey sighed. "Ugh! You're right. I'm so dead. Still - I need time to think up a story." She began to look pensively across the hall.

"Well you better think fast." Callie informed her, noticing Lena emerging while talking to another teacher.

"Shit..." Kasey exclaimed through a whisper before scurrying down the hall ducking in between other students.

Lena clocked her as she disappeared round the corner, at this point she was passing an unimpressed looking Callie.

"Did Kasey just run away from me?" Lena casually dropped in as she passed, without even breaking her motion. Callie didn't reply but her defeated smile confirmed the answer.

"Talk to you later, Jane." She broke off conversation and set off for the chase, her pace quickening.

Kasey quickly tried to think of a route to her class without going back the way she had just came but the seconds ticked closer to the bell. She hid behind a locker block looking round to see Lena stride past, waited a few moments before ducking back out, her folders firmly clasped to her chest as she jogged slightly back into the main corridor, speeding up before she was stopped by a voice coming in from behind.

"Sleep well?" Lena asked with a menacing smile as Kasey felt the underlying chill of it down her spine and settling in her stomach. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before sporting a guilty smile and turning to face her. Her Mom's pose was regal and damning, arms folded tightly across her chest.

"Not bad - how about you?" She forced a smile.

"Good, thank you. Fun morning too - the house seemed quieter for some reason. Seemed to be more breakfast to go round."

"Yeah - well...I mean you know I think there was some mix-up with stuff and I got out kinda early and..." Kasey began a plethora of mumbled and mixed up excuses as Lena humoured her by nodding for each one, enjoying the cracking in her voice. The bell then saved her as Kasey's eyes opened with relief. "Hey there's the bell - better get to..." she spun around only to be rounded off again by Lena who swept around to block off her new direction.

"I'll write you a slip." she assured her. "I still have a few questions." Kasey's chest deflated.

"Tell me, Kasey...exactly what long term advantage do you see coming as a result of lying to me right now?" She asked plainly with another grin.

"What makes you think I'm..." A twitch of Lena's left eyebrow ceased Kasey's response. She sighed her shoulders down, knowing she was on a losing strategy.

"Look I'm really, really sorry! The alarm didn't go off and I just didn't get back in time. We fell asleep - I never meant to stay the night..."

"So if you didn't plan to stay the night what was your alarm that didn't go off for? To let you know when your excuses had finished cooking?"

Kasey stuttered.

"OK - so I was gonna stay a _little_ while into the night but I never meant to freak you out by me not being there or anything...Evan has really demanding shifts at the moment..."

"And you have a curfew." Lena reminded her as Kasey sighed again in defeat.

"How much trouble am I in?" She asked through a wince as Lena smiled again.

"I dunno - you'd have to ask your Mom. She begged me to let her decide your punishment." Lena said with a flair. "Let's get you a slip." She strode off with a panicked Kasey trailing behind.

"Woah - wait. By herself? Like you have no control over it?"

"Sorry Kasey..." She replied without slowing her pace as Kasey chased her trail.

"But you're the reasonable one...Mom's gonna come up with some warped, disproportionate, illegal-in-17-countries torture. It may have a detrimental effect on my blossoming self esteem or something if you don't regulate it..." She tried to appeal as Lena opened the door to her office and made her way to the desk. "What if she _beats_ me? Could you live with knowing you stood by and let her stunt my psychological development?"

"I'd be careful - you may give her ideas." She responded with a laugh at the over-dramatic display. She scribbled away at a note without looking up.

"Can't you do anything - please?" Kasey begged with her biggest, roundest, puppy dog eyes.

Lena took a deep breath.

"Well..." She began as Kasey's body lifted slightly. "I guess if we're looking for some long-term benefits we have to be careful about how we handle this kind of delicate situation."

"My thoughts exactly." Kasey nodded.

"There's one small problem." Lena replied as Kasey's shoulders dropped slightly. "Remember before when I asked you what long term advantage you thought lying to me would have?"

"Yes..." Kasey winced, having a feeling she knew where this was headed.

"The answer is 'none'. Enjoy your chat with Mom." She ripped the slip off the notepad and handed it to her with a final smile.

* * *

"Whatever is about to happen – it's not gonna be good..." Kasey gulped to Callie as they made their way back to the house.

"No offence sis, but you only have yourself to blame." Callie scolded her, playfully – having got over her annoyance at being dragged into the situation.

"I know." Kasey resigned. "That's the worst thing. Oh God!" She exclaimed noting the car in the drive. "Mom even came home early!"

Callie rolled her eyes.

"I'm going in the back..." Kasey decided.

"Kasey you really think...ugh." Callie gave up trying to persuade her of the redundant effects of delaying things any further as Kasey disappeared around the side of the house.

She opened the door as quietly as she could and closed it, turning the handle to prevent the click.

"Not sneaking in the back are you. Kind of futile don't you think? Almost like an admission of guilt." Stef snapped as Kasey jumped and she saw her emerge from her position behind the wall.

Kasey turned with a guilty smile, Stef sporting a similar pose to Lena's earlier in the day.

"Good night?" She asked with a smile.

Kasey bit her lip. "Lena's already made that joke – it is a good one though." She giggled nervously, striding through the kitchen as if she had any hope of leaving it.

Stef side-stepped to cut her off.

"So tell me, what time did you sneak out exactly?"

"Mom, I'm sorry – I didn't..."

"Ooh, that doesn't sound like a time. Answer the question, Kasey." She cut her off.

"OK – about eleven...but I meant to be back before..." She began before Stef cut her off again, asserting her control of the conversation.

"And tell me how do you think it would be for us finding that you were gone in the night? Did you not think for second about how worrying that would be for us? Did you not think we may panic about where you may be or the fact you're wandering around at that time of night?"

"To be fair Mom, you didn't last night...you didn't even notice...and Callie knew where I was." Kasey protested, cynically as Stef laughed to herself.

"Really? That's what you're going with?"

"I...well...no." She sighed. "Look – I know I was wrong and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to risk you worrying..."

"No, you didn't mean to risk us finding out..."

"Well...that either...but you know Lena already talked it all through with me and..."

"I know. She filled me in on _everything_ so I know exactly what has been covered and what hasn't. Wanna re-think your strategy?" Stef replied, nipping that method of avoidance in the bud. Kasey gritted her teeth in defeat.

"I take it I'm grounded then. I guess I deserve that." She offered up the punishment with a sigh in case it may sway the result.

"Oh you're grounded. For a week." Stef confirmed firmly.

"Really?" Kasey replied with suspicion. "A week?" she clarified as Stef nodded.

"OK..." she chirped, surprised at the leniency. "I guess I'll go to my room then now this is all dealt with..." She said hopefully, springing away.

"Hold it." Stef stopped her. "I didn't say that was all of your punishment. Wait for me at the table. I need to go get something."

"Get...wait...Mom...you know what's illegal right? Ugh." Kasey flopped down onto a stool and tapped her fingers anxiously on the table as Stef disappeared. She then buried her head in her crossed arms. This wasn't going to end well.

* * *

_**"Ha!" Stef goaded before heaving the bucket onto the table in front of her with a loud clatter. "Nice try."**_

_**Kasey peered over into the bucket to see it was full of change. She looked at her Mom with confusion.**_

_**"You're paying me for sneaking out? If I'd have known that I would've done it more often..." she quipped in return for another smug glare.**_

_**"Oh trust me, by the time I get done with you it'll be very clear who's paying who here." Stef responded as Kasey winced, studying the bucket again.**_


	8. Counting on Trouble (Part 2)

**Hi guys! Thanks for reading and the reviews! A lot of pity for Kasey...it ain't gonna get any better for her today I'm afraid...personally I blame _TheTBone _- mainly because it's a co-write and I'm in control of the author's notes so I can! Muwahaha! **

**Enjoy - would love to know what you think of our mathematical sadism. Poor Kasey.**

**OH! And how excited are we about Sherri Saum being pregnant with twins?! Those will be two beautiful babies. Wowza!**

* * *

Stef eventually returned with a bucket that Kasey didn't quite get a chance to look in before it was hidden at the other side of the table. Stef gave her a daunting smile.

"I don't get it..." Kasey stated nervously trying to peer over. "What are you going to do to me?

Stef crossed her arms with a superior look. "You snuck out of the house and spent the night at your boyfriend's. What do you _think_ I'm going to do to you?"

"Let me off with a warning and the grounding because knowing that I disappointed you is punishment enough?" Kasey reached with the forlorn hope she may have a final chance to sway the result.

"Ha!" Stef goaded before heaving the bucket onto the table in front of her with a loud clatter. "Nice try."

Kasey peered over into the bucket to see it was full of change. She looked at her Mom with confusion.

"You're paying me for sneaking out? If I'd have known that I would've done it more often..." she quipped in return for another smug glare.

"Oh trust me, by the time I get done with you it'll be very clear who's paying who here." Stef responded as Kasey winced, studying the bucket again.

"I still don't understand..."

"You, my friend, are going to count the change." Stef ordered crossing her arms.

Kasey's face dropped in disbelief.

"Count? As in add it all up?"

"Well I don't mean as in 'Dracula' – as much as you are fond of nocturnal activities these days." Stef retorted.

The sarcasm provoked Kasey to revert to her own snarky defense.

"You do realise we have these new things called banks now, right? They're new, only several hundred years old so you might not have caught wind of them yet..." She quipped as Stef laughed again.

"Really? An old joke? In the middle of sentencing? When the fate of your very life is in my hands? I mean I knew you could be stupid but I didn't think you were suicidal. And yes, I am well aware of what a bank is. In fact, I'm going to take this money to the bank after you get done counting it."

Kasey's look grew more towards horrified as she realised this was actually happening.

"But they count it for you! What's the point in me counting it when they're going to do it again in a much more efficient time? That makes no sense!"

"It's a punishment. It doesn't have to make sense. Oh, and I forgot to mention - since I'll get the correct amount from the bank, I'll know if you were really counting. Every rounded quarter you're off by adds a day onto your already week-long grounding, so I'd work diligently." She narrowed her eyes with the return of her smug smile. Kasey's head drooped.

"You're a fascist." She grumbled.

"And your mother – unfortunately for you. Now get to work." Stef ordered before turning away.

Kasey leapt off her stool to chase her in one last desperate plea.

"Can't you just send me to bed without supper or waterboard me or something? Please!" In dramatic desperation Kasey dropped down onto her knees. "I'm begging you – I know you just want to see me squirm – so here I am on my knees! _Anything_ but math!"

Stef looked down at her unimpressed, stepping over her as she passed. "Get up." She ordered, unmoved by the display.

"Mom, please! I'm literally pleading on the floor here!" She looked down below her, an idea sprouting. "Hey look - I'm already in the perfect position to scrub the floors. That'd be much more productive than redundantly counting change, wouldn't it? I'll fill up a bucket and get to scrubbing and we can call it a day, yes?" She flashed her most winning smile as Stef looked down to her, considering it for a moment.

"Hm. You do have a point." She replied.

Kasey's face lifted, surprised that it worked that easily but still hopeful. "So I can scrub the floors?"

"Sure." Stef gave her a beaming smile. "After you count the change, I think that would be a great addition to your punishment – in fact, you could use the empty bucket. Good thinking, Kasey!" She clapped her shoulder harshly. Kasey sprung up even though her face dropped back down.

"Wait - in addition?! I was talking about instead of..."

Stef started her journey towards the door again. "Oh I'm perfectly aware of what you were talking about. But the thing is it only matters what I'm talking about." She turned back round to Kasey to put a stop to her following her out of the room.

"So - get counting and then scrubbing unless you want to add sweeping, mopping, and dusting to that list as well." She put her hands on her daughter's shoulders and squeezed tightly before Kasey rolled her eyes and moved back to the table with a groan.

Kasey slumped down on the chair as Stef left and dumped out the change, cursing a few rolled coins that made a break for it off the table.

"Count the change. Scrub the floors. It only matters what _I'm_ talking about." She mimicked resentfully with a mocking tone.

"I can still hear you." A voice shouted back as Kasey snapped her head up. "And just for that, now for every quarter you're off it's a week added onto your grounding instead of a day."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Kasey shot back, dropping her shoulders down.

"Why? Do you think a month is more appropriate?" Stef replied before she went silent to listen for a response.

"Good answer." She added in acknowledgement of the defeated sigh and lack of further protest. She smiled to herself and flicked on the TV as Lena returned through the front door.

"What's that depressing clanging sound?" She observed after they exchanged initial greetings.

"Kasey's social life for the foreseeable future." Stef beamed back to her as Lena peered through into the kitchen. "Needs to improve her math, right? Two birds." She threw Stef a chastising look with a hint of a smile.

"I don't know if I should be upset with you for punishing our children with education or impressed with your creativity."

"Before her little midnight jailbreak last night I saw her sneak ketchup onto the pasta you made for dinner." Stef replied, without breaking her gaze from the TV. Lena sat down next to her with a smile.

"In that case, impressed. Definitely impressed."

* * *

"Touch it – and die." Kasey threatened a fidgeting Jesus working towards one of the piles of coins. He retreated his hand anxiously as she counted out a final handful as Stef returned.

"She's in a bad mood." He warned Stef as she wandered in.

"I have no doubt." She smirked coming in ready to gloat as Kasey threw her a look.

"65, 66, 67, 68. Done. 89 dollars and 68 cents. Hardly seems worth it." She moaned putting her head down on the table.

"Oh it was worth it." Stef smiled. "You gonna make any midnight escapades any time soon?" She asked.

"Never. Again." She replied, muffled from the tiredness and the table that her mouth rested on.

"And you gonna lose some of this cockiness?"

"Yes – you're the boss." She parroted as she had been forced to do so many times before.

"OK then." Stef removed the bucket and swept the neatly formed piles back into it as Kasey whimpered a shriek.

"You said you were done..." Stef replied with another gloating smile making sure to be as destructive as possible while undoing all of Kasey's work. She finished returning them all back in as the door bell rang. She dusted her hands off and pinched Kasey's cheek before going to answer it.

"Well if it isn't your handsome bed-buddy! Not get the memo Evan? Kasey's grounded." She walked away leaving the door open for him to follow as Kasey spun to get off the chair in a moment of relief at seeing him.

"Don't move." Stef warned as Kasey spun back round, reluctantly.

"Grounded? What for?" He asked, badly hiding that he already knew.

"Wait – so it wasn't your house she was at last night? Now you're scaring me..." Stef replied mockingly as he looked down at his feet.

"Now if you don't mind we're gonna have to send you home because Kasey has a floor to scrub."

"You were serious about that?" Kasey gawped.

"It was your suggestion." Stef replied smugly as Kasey scowled at her.

"I have a few more suggestions for you too..." Kasey mumbled resentfully to herself as Stef laughed, impressed by her nerve.

"Oh do you now?" She replied. "Hey Evan – want some change?" She removed a couple of unknown coins and flicked them over to him as he caught it with a clap.

"Oops – does that affect your total?" She sneered as Kasey rolled her head back.

"OK – I get it. I'm sorry."

"Oh hey – you collecting for something?" Evan asked obliviously. "I've actually got a bunch of change been weighing me down all day. Here you can have it." He reached into his pocket and chucked in the assortment as Kasey gasped out a wail.

Stef's mouth froze open in delight as Evan looked between them, confused and panicked by the reaction.

"God I hate you right now..." Kasey gawped, paralysed.

"That doesn't count right...?" She looked to Stef in a panic. "That _can't_ count?"

"Kasey's been counting change for me." Stef explained, failing to offer any reassurance.

"For every quarter she's out by the time the bank counts it she gets grounded for a week. Think you just threw in a month."

Evan's bottom lip dropped revealing his gritted teeth as Kasey scowled at him, furiously.

"Sorry Nerd..." He apologised before turning back to Stef.

"Bit harsh though isn't it? She didn't get into nearly this much trouble last time." He turned to Kasey with an oblivious smile. "You said they didn't even..._oh_." his face dropped suddenly remembering why it was she hadn't got in trouble last time.

He gulped looking at a gawping Stef who was clearly about to enjoy being enlightened by the new information.

Kasey laughed in desperation thumping her fist down on the table before collapsing her forehead into her hand and bracing herself for the next wave. She heaved a deep sigh.

"Wait – I mean...my mistake. Last night was totally the first time...that was another girl I was thinking about." Evan backed away as Stef slowly walked him towards the door. "In fact Kasey didn't even want to stay last night. I made her. I mean it was a bad night and I didn't want her going back...I kept her in my bed against her will..." Stef raised an eyebrow as Evan immediately realised how that had come out. "Woah - I mean not like _that_ just..."

"Thanks Evan. See you in a week – or ten." She closed the door in his face as he still flailed excuses around as if flapping away his sloppiness.

Stef crossed her arms and walked round to be opposite Kasey who finally dared to look up to face her.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Stef teased with a hint of menace as she flicked a cent towards Kasey after a brief silence.

"I'm counting it all again, aren't I?" She asked in resignation chucking it back in the bucket.

Stef smiled at her before tipping the contents out again.

"New information means two weeks a quarter." She shouted back as she left the room. She heard a sharp clatter as Kasey's head collapsed into the pile.


End file.
